My name is Chris, a 23 year old who has recently been left unable to stand and in a wheel chair following the spread of a brain tumour into my spine. My original brain tumour called a pineal germinoma was extremely rare, with only around 50 cases a year occurring in the UK. I was treated initially with Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy and experienced a complete remission of the original tumour, an outcome that temporarily allowed me to return to work and a normal way of life. Unfortunately I recently started to experience a loss of muscle strength and chronic pain in my arms. Initially medical professionals suspected this to be merely a side effect of my original treatment, but after a rapid deterioration that saw me unable to stand overnight, a loss in the dexterity of my hands and a reduction in arm function, it became apparent that a more sinister medical phenomenon was responsible. An MRI scan revealed that my original brain tumour had spread to the top of my spine, compressing the nerves and preventing the necessary innervation required for muscle function. The spread of the germinoma to my spine is almost unheard of and makes me, unfortunately, quite the medical oddity. I am a 23 year old who until recently was active and studying towards a PhD at Southampton University, somewhat ironically in the field of neurodegenerative disease. I am receiving an intense course of Radiotherapy at the Oxford Churchill hospital with the aim of shrinking the tumour and releasing the compression on my spinal cord. Although it is hoped this will coincide with a return of my mobility it is possible that the damage to the nerves is irreversible and I will not walk again. In an attempt to make the best of a bad situation I will be documenting my treatment, recovery and hospital experiences to raise awareness of the dedication, compassion and general brilliance of the clinical staff who's care I am under and simultaneously raise some funds to support the continued medical research that is so vital for our understanding of how to prevent, treat and rehabilitate disease. I am fundraising for cancer research and spinal research; please donate to these two great charities equally! Follow my journey on twitter @chrisvstumour.
